Wes Welker, Deion Branch Patriots' go-to guys

Wide receiver Deion Branch returned to New England for one reason, and as he said after the Patriots won the AFC Championship, this is it — the chance to play in another Super Bowl. “It's an honor,” Branch said. “It's an honor just to be a part of it.”

Wide receiver Deion Branch returned to New England for one reason, and as he said after the Patriots won the AFC Championship, this is it — the chance to play in another Super Bowl.

“It's an honor,” Branch said. “It's an honor just to be a part of it.”

Branch played on two Super Bowl title teams with the Patriots and was the MVP of XXXIX, New England's 24-21 win over the Eagles. Fellow wide receiver Wes Welker has yet to experience the thrill of winning a Super Bowl, but like in 2007, his first year with the Patriots, he played a major role in helping the team get here again.

“We've put a lot into this,” Welker said, “and this is what you play for. This is why you run those extra sprints in the offseason, why you lift all those weights, this is why you play the game — to be in the position that we're in. It's the best, and we have to take advantage of it.”

Welker, who averaged 117 yards in the first seven games to put him on pace for more than 1,800 for the year, finished with a franchise-record 1,569 and scored nine touchdowns.

It marked the fourth time in his five years with the Patriots he went over 1,000 yards receiving. Welker, who this year became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 500 receptions with one team, leads the league in receptions since 2007 with 554.

“Wes would make any quarterback better with his ability to get open and catch the ball,” quarterback Tom Brady said. “He's a very smart player who has a great feel for the game, who has a great feel for how to get open in man-to-man (coverage) and where to find spots in the zone. When you watch him run routes, he makes very swift decisions. That gives me a lot of confidence. He knows what he sees, and I can trust him (when I) make the throw.”

Brady's and Welker's on-field chemistry and trust have advanced each season, almost to the level of Brady's and Branch's on-field relationship. Branch was gone to Seattle for five years, but when he came back, they picked right up again.

Branch finished the year with 51 catches for 702 yards and five touchdowns. He was quiet down the stretch with just three receptions for 37 yards and a TD in the last four games, but had a big 61-yard touchdown grab against the Broncos in the AFC divisional playoff game.

“Deion is a big part of what we do,” Brady said. “He always seems to show up for the big games. I've always enjoyed working with him, and now he's back, and we have this opportunity again. He just kept telling me, ‘Tom, you don't know how happy I am to be back playing for this team and in this game.' It's great for all of us.”

Welker had 12 receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots' first two playoff games. He was the Patriots' top receiver in the regular-season game against the Giants with nine receptions for 136 yards.

This postseason, Brady has completed 48 passes, 15 to tight end Rob Gronkowski, 12 to Welker and 11 to Hernandez. Branch has five catches, Julian Edelman two and running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead and Stevan Ridley one each.

The Patriots' other “wide receivers” have played no role in the postseason. Brady threw one ill-advised long ball, which was intercepted, Matthew Slater's way in the AFC Championship. Chad Ochocinco has been on the field for one postseason snap.

In his two Super Bowl appearances, Branch had 21 receptions for 276 yards. He's thought back to those games a lot this week, but now he's looking forward to today.

“I have the same feeling now that I had in the past,” Branch said. “Me personally, I just want to go out and do anything I can to help my team. I want to make each and every play. When Tom needs somebody to throw the ball to, I want to be that guy if he can't find his first read or whatever. I'm just embracing this.”

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